


A Different Firefly

by thebittermountain



Category: Firefly
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, M/M, Male Inara Serra, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:00:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21967468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebittermountain/pseuds/thebittermountain
Summary: Firefly Redux. A version in which the story and characters are shifted more than a little bit left.
Relationships: Hoban Washburne/Zoë Washburne, River Tam & Simon Tam
Kudos: 3





	A Different Firefly

_Seven Pines Pass, Shadow, 2505—Kuàilè Qīngwā Nóngchǎng_

“Zhi Jun! Zhi Jun!” The middle-aged woman calling from the edge of the pasture sighed and threw her hands up before turning to the man of similar age leaning against its fence next to her. “ _Wǒ de tiān a_ , that boy! He has too much of a gift for disappearin’ at the worst times.” The man, who bore a certain resemblance to her, shrugged, smiling.

“ _Nà ge_ , he’s just a-spoilin’ for a challenge, _mei mei_ , he’ll show up. You know how we are.” She sighed, shaking her head, but she was smiling as she said,

“I do, _dà gē_ , and that’s just the problem. Who’s he remind you of at that age?” Her brother snorted, but before he could say anything else, the subject of their discussion came loping back from the direction of town.

“Mama, _Jiù_ Jing Bai! Haven’t you heard th’ news?” The two shared a look before Jing Bai shook his head. His sister crossed her arms, calling out to the approaching Zhi Jun.

“ _Bǎo bèi_ , it good enough for you missin’ herdin’?” Zhi Jun winced but nodded rather emphatically.

“I regret that, Mama.” She shrugged, arms still crossed, and looked at her son expectantly.

“ _Dāng rán_. What mess has you so all-fired so you’s forgot to help out?” Zhi Jun winced again but crossed his own arms as he reached them.

“Heard Independent Faction is formin’ up. We kin finally tell those dog-fucking assholes in th’ Core what we think o’ their ‘Union’!” His mother pinched the bridge of her nose, ignoring Jing Bai’s quiet,

“Hua Ju.” Zhi Jun sobered as he saw the flat look on her face.

“Mama…ain’t you excited? I’ve heard ya complain ‘bout th’ Core much as the rest o’ us.” He looked nervously over at his uncle’s tapping foot and his mother’s white-knuckled fingers.

“Lotta people could get hurt,” Jing Bai finally said in his gruff voice.

“Lotta people get hurt now!” Zhi Jun countered stubbornly. Jing Bai raised a reproving brow.

“ _Shì ma_ , you don’t care now ‘bout your own family in th’ Core? Think any Alliance _lǎo bǎn_ isn’t gonna think they don’t have nothin’ to do with your wild crusade?” Hua Ju kept silent, knuckles still white, her cool gaze boring reprovingly into her son. Zhi Jun shifted on his feet, looking at that moment more like a boy of ten than a young man three years away from thirty.

In some ways, in 2505, he still was that boy.

* * *

_Lu'Weng, Sihnon, 2507—House Madrassa_

“Inara, whatever has your head in the heavens?” The words were teasing, but Inara knew Nandi hid concern for him behind her light tone. He turned to face her, finding it difficult to meet her bright eyes.

“Did I make the right choice?” Nandi tilted her head, and he wasn’t surprised when she answered him with another question.

“Voting for the Alliance? Of course I do. We help each other maintain smooth operations. Life is nicer for everyone.” Inara sighed, leaning against the soft cushions of his sofa.

“Not for everyone.” Nandi sighed, muttering something in her mother’s tongue of Hebrew before she said,

“You and I both know a good life is a… _nà ge_ … _bái rì mèng_. Why should we ensure the idea becomes more fragile?” Inara picked at a thread in his robe until it came loose.

“Since _that_ man left, it has become impossible for me to sleep through a night. I know our rule of confidentiality, but I cannot help but wonder if I condemned innocents to death by doing so.” He could feel Nandi’s hot glare on the side of his face as he gazed at nothing and wondered if prayer would alleviate the tumult in his mind.

“ _Bèndàn_. If anything, you saved lives. Inara, I know you have heard the recent newscasts and the rumors flying with them. Don’t worry so much. It does you no good, especially since you decided on the _Santing_ path. No client hopes for a bag-eyed, weepy lady of the three halls.” Inara choked on a bitter laugh.

“What _would_ I do without you, Nandi?”

“Mope for _far_ too long. Now, I seem to remember that you planned to work the teahouse this afternoon, _shǎ guā_.”

Inara looked up at the clock and swore before shoving Nandi out of his room as she chuckled.

“Thank you sooo much, _húndàn_!”

* * *

_Core Routes, Western Core, 2510—The Leaf Dancer_

Washburne Hoban piloted his family’s ship with white knuckles, cursing their ill-luck fluently. Of all the trading routes to travel, they _had_ to pick the one being swarmed by Independents and Alliance alike. As he swooped to avoid a particularly eager Ocula-class, yelling pointlessly out his nav window, Hoban knocked twice on the space-glass, asking _Lúgé Dé'ěr Bài_ to lend the knowledge of the stars to his flying.

About two hours later, Hoban finally let out a relieved breath, and thanked the God of the cosmos.

“You get us outta that _tiānfāndìfù_ mess without cleanin’ our housing?” Hoban barely managed not to jump. He turned around to look at his Washburne mother with a glare.

“Mama Rianon! You haveta scare me like that? Just about lost my seat there!” Washburne Rianon laughed as she dropped down in the previously vacant co-pilot’s set.

“Think it’s only fair since your Mama Beth threw down a’cause of your flyin’.” Hoban groaned, pushing the ship into autopilot before turning back to argue with his mother.

“That only happened a‘cause she has a load in the cargo hold. She never loses her stomach otherwise.”

* * *

_From the records of the Tam family on Osiris, supplemented by the remaining Alliance Academy records_

12 June 2511

Dear Si,

Please desist in requesting my return home. _Mǔqīn_ and _Fùqīn_ have decreed it unacceptable until I can behave as they prefer. Do not be too concerned about my wellbeing though, _dà gē_. The Academy is far more challenging than school, so I’m not bored. The professors are teaching me how to use my mind; you know, the way I used to know what you were thinking.

Maybe you can come next Visitor’s Day? I’ll be the envy of my classmates if you do, dà gē. None of the others have such faithful family.

……

20 June 2511

Dear River,

Alright, I will cease. I am truly discomfited by their behavior, however. Why did you never inform me of their opinions in regard to your behavior? I will attempt to conceal my worries, but it is a futile exercise to request your brother to not worry in regard to your health and wellbeing, _mèi mei_.

Of course I will be there, as it falls during my vacation time. I am sorry to hear that your classmate do not possess such loyal siblings or family

…[the next few lines are merely pleasantries]…

I do not care if he is friendly. No ethical doctor would insist on recording sessions with his patient, particularly if you only learned such through glancing into his mind. You are eleven years old, and he is a grown man. Something is going on.

Perhaps I can arrange it so that you may live with me instead of our parents.

_Zhùfú nǐ, mèi mei_ ,

Simon

5 January 2512

_Dà gē_ ,

I am quite frightened. Some of my classmates have disappeared, and I am losing track of time. They have gotten rid of Visitor Day as well

…[the next few sentences are crossed out]... I miss you, _dà gē_ , and I want to go home.

Please, tell our parents I will behave, if they would just let me leave. Neither of them have answered the last letters I sent.

Si, my blank periods of time are mostly when I am with _that_ doctor. Nothing from those sessions result in clear memories, but I dread them with every particle of my _chi_.

…. 

25 April 2512

Si!

Have I ever told you the story of the Princess and the Pea? Mama told it to me before I started talking, when you spent all your time with Bà.

Once there was a girl whose father was given her by a mysterious couple who told him to take her, or she would be killed. The girl grew up well, though she was considered strange by her father’s neighbors. Her father loved her, so he paid them no mind. But one day, the girl’s father had to travel to the big city for an important matter, so he left his daughter in the care of the neighbors.

Unfortunately, the neighbor couple soon became frustrated with the girl, and turned her out when the father didn’t return after a few years.

The girl survived through hard work, but she often had to travel, as she was only able to find temporary jobs.

One night, the girl was caught in a storm, and came upon a castle. She knocked for entrance and was only granted reluctant sanctuary if she agreed to participate in the competition to find a princess for the local prince’s hand.

Exhausted and desperate, the girl agreed. She passed all of the peculiar tests the prince’s mother set for her and was led eventually to a soft-looking featherbed. But as soon as she laid down upon the bed, the girl felt mysterious pains. She looked and looked but could not find their source. Eventually, she settled to a fitful sleep frequently disrupted by such pains.

In the morning, the girl woke up with bruises and cuts whose source she couldn’t ascertain.

When she went to the great hall for breakfast, however, she was met with great cheers from the populace of the kingdom, and a smile from the queen mother.

The girl was the only candidate to show such injury from the featherbed, and so they acclaimed her as a true princess, worthy of the prince’s hand.

…..

13 August 2512

River,

Why are you describing such nonsense in your letters? You surely know that none of these stories are ones our nurse _or_ parents told us, though I must admit they are truly creative and disturbing in equal measure.

Is something wrong?

….

12 February 2513

Darling River,

I understand now. I must shoulder a heavy load of blame for doubting your concerns and belittling your letters.

_Hěn bào qiàn, qǐng yuán liàng wǒ_. I should have seen through our parents far earlier.

They have blocked all of my effort thus far, but I swear to you, _mèi mei_ , I will find a way to free you from the Academy.

A deeply regretful,

Simon

* * *

_Lu’Weng, Sihnon, 2514—Ching Shian University_

“Excuse me?” Gwen stared at the Dean of Anthropology in disbelief. He Cheng Guo stared at her silently instead of responding, a clear indication of discomfort. Gwen raised a brow, not budging, and finally the other woman coughed awkwardly.

“The department must request your resignation from the staff of the university. It has been heavily recommended by Parliament.” Gwen pressed her lips in a thin line, but she didn’t miss the hand Dean He had close to the phone, so she headed toward the door to clean out her office, but not before muttering,

“Kind of them to _fang lěng jiàn_ in my direction.” The silence behind her was telling. _Naturally, it is too much to ask for the government to listen instead of discrediting me_ , she thought grumpily as she packed her papers and books into boxes.

Two months later, Gwen was more than grumpy—she was furious. No university would accept her, and she had found evidence that the government’s intelligence was tracking her location and anything she put onto the Cortex.

* * *

The last reliably confirmed message from the Cortex user @buckleyguanda was the statement, “ _Yè lù zǒu duōle zǒng huìjiàn guǐ_. I will not cry if your dismissal is the reason we fall.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please, if anyone is fluent in Mandarin, correct my Chinese. Or if anyone can recommend a good online translator, that’d be good too. I am doing my best, but I remember very little Mandarin even though I’ve taken it before.   
> Obviously, I am changing Inara’s decision about the Independent officer he was a Companion to. This doesn’t, however, change the result of the war, though it does make a difference in the amount of people dead as a result.   
> I pushed back the timeline of River going to the Academy by a few years, because it doesn’t seem to work out properly to me otherwise.


End file.
